The City of New York by Richard Edes Harrison 1939 old vintage map plan chart

£400

SKU: P-7-019858

'The City of New York'


This 1939 map of New York City by Richard Edes Harrison offers a visually striking and data-rich portrayal of the city’s Five Boroughs. Published in conjunction with the 1939 New York World’s Fair, it features the elevations of the Fair's iconic Trylon and Perisphere alongside the city’s tallest buildings of the time— the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and Rockefeller Center—next to the scale at the bottom. The map’s colour-coded zones distinguish residential, commercial, industrial, and federal properties, underscoring the still predominantly industrial character of the waterfront at that time. Parks and cemeteries are clearly marked, and the two airports of the era, Floyd Bennett Field and North Beach Airport (renamed LaGuardia in 1947), are highlighted; Idlewild (later JFK) would not open until 1948. An inset of lower Manhattan provides detailed views of high-value properties assessed at over $5 million, including major business buildings, stores, hotels, and theatres. Additionally, the map presents an unusual comparison of day versus night population density across the five boroughs, illustrating the daily shift of the city’s working population between Manhattan’s Central Business District and the other more residential or "dormitory" boroughs. Harrison’s innovative design blends precise geographic detail with vibrant aesthetics, resulting in both a functional and visually captivating representation of New York City during a transformative era in its history.

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Size 70 x 57 cm | 27.5 x 22.0 inches

Date Published: July 1939

Type: Vintage colour map

Author: Harrison, Richard Edes

Publication: Fortune Magazine

Fortune Magazine July 1939 Volume XX. Number 1

Condition: Good |

Good; suitable for framing. Please check the scan for any blemishes prior to making your purchase. Please contact us if you would like to arrange to view this map. This is a folding map. There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain

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Returns

We accept returns for any reason if sent back to us within 14 days of receipt of your order. If any of your items are not as described, we will provide a full refund including reasonable return postage costs upon safe return to us. If you have changed your mind, you are responsible for the cost of returning the item to us. We describe the size, age and condition of all our products as fully and accurately as possible. Most of the items which we sell are in very good condition. However, the condition of antique and vintage prints and maps can vary. All of our product listings including a statement which classifies the condition as being either “Good”, “Fair”, or (rarely) “Poor” and which describes any material flaws, blemishes, imperfections or other significant features such as folds. Please read the description carefully before purchase.

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Condition Guide

We assess the condition of each item using three categories: Good, Fair, and Poor. We strive to ensure that any significant flaws are clearly shown in the images provided and detailed in the accompanying condition statement.

Good

The item presents well, with no significant flaws, and is in frameable condition. Minor imperfections—such as light spotting or offsetting, small blemishes, tight margins, neatly repaired tears, or discreet/professionally executed restoration—do not materially detract from its overall appearance.

Fair

The item shows noticeable flaws but remains in frameable condition. Some buyers may feel these imperfections affect its visual appeal. Typical issues may include more prominent spotting, blemishes, bleed-through from the reverse, obvious offsetting, visible or extensive restoration, wear along fold lines or junctures, small wormholes, trimmed or closely cropped edges, or less carefully executed repairs.

Poor

The item has major flaws that significantly impact its presentation and/or suitability for framing. These may include heavy spotting, staining, bleed-through, offsetting, unrepaired damage, or poorly executed repairs such as tears, holes, or areas of paper loss (including within the printed image). The item may also be fragile and prone to further deterioration.